Everything will be OK
by Planeshunter
Summary: This story takes place a month after Volume 3's end, centering around Yang's feelings and her relationship with her partner Blake. The first chapter works as a one-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Konnichiwa, Konnichiwa! Planeshunter here!**

 **I had been meaning to watch RWBY for a while now, and I finally got around it a couple of weeks ago. Man, it was worth it!**

 **Still, the end of Volume 3 triggered something in this little head of mine, and ideas about possible follow-ups popped left and right. This is but one of them, the one I feel less likely to actually happen, but one I would love to see nonetheless.**

 **Events in the story take place around a month after the end of episode 3-12 "End of the beginning" and are centered around Blake and Yang.**

* * *

The stars are almost invisible tonight, paling around the bright full moon. Under her silver glow, a train rushes forward, devouring distance on it's metal road. Twin amber spheres glow in the darkness, as a feminine silhouette crouches on the locomotive's roof. Even in the middle of the night, the forest scenery rushing both sides would maintain all it's beauty for this pair of eyes, but they are focused onwards.

This goes on for a while, the sound of metal wheels on metal tracks and the occasional whistle as the only sounds of the night. Then the head those eyes belong to nods off for a moment before quickly regaining its stance. It has been a long day, but she cannot rest yet.

She grasps tightly a package on her lap. It's something she must deliver, and she won't be able to relax until she does.

* * *

Yang sits alone in her bed, looking through the window. The full moon looks beautiful tonight, but she barely registers. She's too busy sinking into self-pity and blaming everyone around her, then feeling like shit for doing so, and sinking further. Rinse and repeat. It has been a month already.

She is alone. Rose had left with the remains of team JNPR. She couldn't blame her, really, who would like to spend time with a whiny, depressing disabled like her? _Only you_ _ **do**_ _blame her, you would've loved to have her here, listening your grumbles._ Qrow had left too. One of those grandiose secret missions he was always mixed into, no doubt. It was for the best. _But not for_ _ **your**_ _best, you would've loved to hog him all for yourself, right?_ Oh, she still had her pops, of course. But he behaved like everything was his fault, and always seemed guilty and apologetic in front of her. It was painful to watch. _Even then you enjoy the situation. Makes you feel less stupid about going and losing an arm just like that or something?_

Team RWBY was no more. With her like this, her sister leaving with other hunters, Weiss no doubt spoilt rotten by her rich family somewhere safe and Blake…

Blake.

Just thinking about her was enough to feel a weird taste, salty and bitter, in her mouth.

Blake.

Always with her nose stuck in a book. Quiet, sometimes scary when her golden eyes admonished the rest of the team for being too loud.

Blake.

Warm and caring, loyal to a fault and dependable. And yet, so often insecure, needing other's assurement, and an occasional hug.

Blake.

She didn't blindly trust her after that incident during the tournament. Instead, she worried, she **cared** , about her going down the wrong path. Locking eyes, making her swear… Made her feel something warm inside, made her feel special. Even if she should've felt outraged.

Blake.

Who burdened herself with secrets simply to not burden her friends.

Blake…

The one she took for her best friend, only to be abandoned when she needed her the most.

 _She's just a coward, she said it herself. Even her semblance is only suited for running away._

The bitter-salty taste in her mouth intensifies, and she looks away from the windows, locking her eyes in the white sheets of her bed.

-"Dangit Blake…"-Her voice is just a whisper, halfways between resented and disheartened- "where did you go?"

There's an air current, and grazing sounds right outside the window. An owl, maybe. She is about to leave it alone, too depressed to even care. But in the end, she catches the first thing she can grab -the left glove of Ember Celica- and throws it towards the window. _Throwing away your weapon? Well, not like you can use it anymore, eh?_

-"Oops" -Instead of hearing the weapon hitting something, there's a well known voice- "That's some welcome."

Yang feels her whole body tense, as she stops in the last second the urge to turn around. _What's she doing here? Why did she come back?_ She ran away the very night everything happened. _It's too late now_. The black mood that has accompanied her for the last month feels like a suffocating shroud, blocking any bright feeling. Only dark thoughts surface in her mind. _You coward..._

-"What the hell are you doing here, Blake?"

She doesn't really want to say that, she wants to turn around and look her in the eyes. She wants to jump into her, and embrace her silly. But… _You don't want her to see you like this, right? Poor little girl, maimed and gloomy. Too weak to stand up, too proud to accept pity..._

A weight suddenly falling on her lap interrupts the dark thoughts. It's Ember Celica. _Pity, seems like you won't get rid of that thing so easily_. Now she turns around, eyes wet from anger, mouth open, ready to yell some truths into that idiot's… face.

There she is, with those amber eyes, that sometimes seem capable of looking straight into her heart, and that soft smile that never fails to put her at ease. A pathetic, strangled sound escapes her throat, suddenly too tight to breath. Seeing the cat girl hurts even more than she expected. Her eyes well up, and she quickly covers her face with her good arm. _Yeah, hide quickly, lest the girl see's what sorry state you've been reduced to._

There's another weight falling on her lap. A weight that clangs against the first one producing a familiar sound. She removes her arm, incredulous. There they are, **both** her gauntlets.

-"Ember Celica, but.. how?" -She turns again towards the window- "I lost it in..."

Her voice fails her and she stops, but the question still shines in her eyes.

-"Yes, it wasn't easy to recover, you know?" -The soft smile doesn't leave her mouth- "And I lost my scroll there. Do you have any idea how hard was to find you without it?"

-"But why... " -Words fail Yang, but she tries again- "That must've been dangerous! Why did you go alone?"

-"Because…" -Now her smile fades, and Yang feels a pang in her heart- "Because it was my fault. This was the least I could do."

 _Oooh, isn't she cute? What a pretty little gesture._ -shut up- _A shame you have no more use for your toy_ -shut up!- _Not that you deserve it anyway_ -uh?- _There she was, risking her life to recover that thing, then traveling god knows how for a whole month, looking for you._ _ **And you were here, warm and comfy, sitting in your bed and blaming her for everything!**_

-"Yang?" -But there's no answer- "Are you alright?"

-"SHUT UP!"

The shout startles both girls. The blonde because she's suddenly back in the real world, the brunette because, well… apparently her friend just shouted at her for no reason.

-"Blake, I…" -The first thought in her mind is apologizing. _But you won't do it, right? You don't deserve her, so better keep her away before she gets any more hurt_ \- "It's all gone, I have no use for Ember Celica anymore."

 _Yeah, just like that. Now get up and leave the room. Leave this beautiful girl and her undeserved friendship behind._ She slowly stands up, without looking at the feline girl, imagining the disappointment in painted in her face. _But you'll leave anyway._ She slowly walks away, she… gets surrounded by two arms. _huh?_

-"Huh?" -This isn't like her- "What are you doing?"

-"My best friend once told me that, sometimes, people just need a good hug" -Yang feels a shiver upon hearing those words, her words- "Nothing's gone yet, nothing's gone till you let it go. What's wrong, Yang? You know you can tell me."

 _She's sharp, isn't her? What will you do now?_

-"Nothing's wrong, 'xcept for the obvious." - _Yeah, hide the ugly truth, keep her away_ \- "There's nothing to tell."

-"Come on, you could get an implant if you wanted, that can't be all." - _She's getting close! Hurt her away before she understands!_ \- "I'll listen to whatever it is."

Yang feels divided. She doesn't want to hurt Blake, but the ugly voice within her is strong. In the end, she tries to break free, only to find herself more tightly hugged. _Why's she so rough? Why doesn't she let it go like the others? Doesn't she care about you?_

-"I won't lose you too."

Those last words sound muffled, Yang can feel Blake's face pressed against her back, and her warm breath between her shoulderblades. And that makes something crumble inside the lilac eyed girl. She's so rough because she cares. She doesn't let it got like the others because she cares. **She really cares.** The voice that asks her to hurt her friend disappears, and the gloominess that has surrounded her for the last month melts away as she bursts into tears.

-"I… I am… I am scared, okay!?" -Blake makes her turn around and she doesn't resist- "Scared of fighting, of getting hurt! Scared of that man!"

-"Adam."

The hate held in that single word startles her. But now that she has opened up, she's incapable of stopping.

-"Each time I remember that night, I all strength leaves me. I feel nauseated and only want to hide behind my covers" -She feels Blake's hand under her chin, forcing her to lock eyes- "I can't be a huntress like this, Blake. Turns out I'm just a coward."

She was expected pain, surprise and disappointment reflected in those amber eyes. Maybe even scorn. Instead, the just keep their sharp gaze, that seems to see into her heart. Instead, she just keeps her faint, warm smile. She understands. Somehow, that stings worse .

-"Then we won't fight anymore."

-"We?"

-"If you can't fight, that's it. But I told you, Yang: I won't lose you too." -There's no change in her warm smile- "Maybe a peaceful life on the countryside isn't so bad… with a friend."

-"But that's…!" -Yang realizes she's trapped- "Oh, alright! But I am a lousy patient, always whining and begging for attention, and you're stuck with me during my rehab. You've been warned!"

The other girl's smile gets a bit wider, and she can't help but smile in turn. Then, hesitantly, she offers another hug. The girl in black practically jump into her arms. Ember Celica rests on the bed, reflecting the moon's light and clearly visible from where she is now.

That "life in the countryside" thing is utter bulshit and she knows it. There's no way she'll ruin her friend's future anchoring her here. That scares her way worse than any masked man. But somehow, the world looks brighter now. Plans start forming in her head like crazy. For now, she'll need some basic rehab, she hasn't really moved around in a month, and her body is getting flabby and lazy. In a week, two tops, she'll suggest a visit to Weiss, and casually ask about arm prosthetics. In a month she'll have it all mastered, and the three of them will go looking for Rose.

Yeah, things look way brighter now. Everything will be OK.

* * *

 **And that's it, ladies and gentlemen! This setting kind of sprout into my head right after watching the last chapter (most precisely, after seeing that last short scene about Blake right at the end) and refused to leave. When it came to actually put it into paper, some concepts had to be refined, others proved to be actually incompatible and more text than initially planned kinda happened. Guys, this was planned as a real short story, maybe one page or so, and suddenly I find myself with 2000 words just like that, I don't know how it happened, honest!**

 **For people following "Kaleidoscopic Grail War", bad news, I'm afraid. Next episode is still veeeeeeery green. Also I'll go into a trip to visit Tokyo around the end of the month. I'll try to get it ready before I leave, but I can't promise anything.**

 **And with that, I bid farewell till the next time!**

 **-Planeshunter**

 **PD: It was thiiiiiis close to become a Blayang romance story.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Konnichiwa, Konnichiwa, Planeshunter here!**

 **For those wondering, "Everything will be OK" was, is and will always be a standalone one-shot. Chapter 1 is a story by itself.**

 **Now, that said, it seemed like a bit of a waste to let go such nice scenario. And like a lot of nonsense to create a second story to follow it up. From this Chapter 2 onwards, I'll elaborate to the best of my humble capabilities the aforementioned scenario.**

 **With that said, Everything will be Ok (What if…?)** **始まります** **!**

* * *

Sun peeks over the horizon, and the slightest of lights projects against the ceiling of Yang's room. It's not even dawn yet, just… the hint of a dawn. But that's enough for Yang's llilac eyes to snap open and her bedclothes to erupt as she kicks them up energetically. The missing arm still gives her trouble but, since she's decided to not let it bother her, kicking things out of the way is quickly becoming a habit.

-" _Wakey wakey chicken bakey!_ "

The jolt under the covers of the other bed feels as satisfying as it did the first day. Back on beacon, Weiss would've chewed her off if she had dared to tried this. _Heck, I wouldn't have woken up so early for my life's worth_. But after such a long period of apathy, she now has energy to spare.

-" _For Dust's sake, Yang…_ " -The aggravated face of the cat girl slowly rose to surface- " _Couldn't you take it easy at least during morning? When did you become your sister?_ "

-" _Maybe when a certain someone returned me my fighting spirit!_ " -To give strength to her words, she removes Blake's covers all the way to the floor with a single pull- " _Now get up so we can go make breakfast!_ "

-" _Remind me what I was thinking when I accepted to take the pain of moving your sister's bed into your room. Surely it wasn't to get ripped out of it with the first light and be dragged to the kitchens…_ "

-" _To keep me for getting all depressed again, duh_ " -In spite of the light tone, Blake's soft smile disappears as her eyebrows reflect concern- " _Oh, come on! I'm just kidding!_ "

She smiles again, but it's not the same. Yang's joke has killed the mood, and she scolds herself for it _too soon, you idiot!_ There's no use in crying over spilled milk, tho. So she grabs her arm and pulls her out of the room and downstairs.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and slightly burnt bacon. And it tasted like glory.

* * *

By the time birds begin chirping, sun actually rose over the horizon and any normal person would say it was 'morning', Blake has had breakfast already, done some morning training, and is already wiping off her sweat with a towel. Much to her dismay.

-" _Dust, it's_ odd _to move with only one arm!_ " -Yang whines with despair as she throws her own towel down- " _I can't wait to get a prosthetic._ "

-" _Well, your center of gravity is completely off, you'll have to get used._ " -She's unsure about continuing the touchy subject, but at this point it would be more awkward to suddenly change it- " _Also, prosthetics don't weight the same as real limbs, you'll need to get used to that too._ "

-" _Party-pooper_ " -She accuses before slapping her cheek- " _Okay! Let's get some lumber! Pop's will kill us if we use more of the winter reserves!_ "

Nodding silently, Blake follows her to the grove behind the house. What had started as a joke has now become part of their routine in a matter of days. _Who would've thought something out of a fantasy book would end up becoming so addicting?_ They both begin humming and, without even realising it, pile up the lumber and make some embers. Next step is getting the water.

-" _Gimme a hand with this, will ya?_ " -Yang stubbornly carries the enormous bucket by herself, holding it overhead with a single hand. She still needs her help to balance it, tho- " _It still feels heavy. I really am out of form!_ "

So, with her hands risen around the bucket to prevent accidents, she follows behind all the way from the stream. Between the night's sweating, the workout and this, their smell is hard to ignore for her acute senses, specially being this close. But it's not really unpleasant, it smells like... hard work and hopes. With that weird idea still fluttering around her mind, they arrive and set up everything.

-" _Now the final touch!_ " -Yang practically _chirps_ as she submerges Ember Celica in the water, quickly rising its temperature- " _And clothes off!_ "

The first time they bathed together, it felt kind of awkward, and terribly embarrassing, at least for her. But the warm water and the smell of the wood have an almost magical effect, specially in the middle of the snow, turning both her body and mind into a relaxed mush. Now she barely even thinks about it. Hot tubs… who did invent them? Whoever it was, she hopes he was handsomely rewarded for it…

* * *

Before the sight of his daughter chowing down lunch like some anime character, Tai cannot help but smile. His little Yang spent so long locked up in her room, dark and gloomy, barely eating, or even talking... It hurts his pride a little that he was powerless to help while a little girl managed to cheer her up in a single night.

Come to think of it, it was his own fault that he only dared to watch for a distance. When one's as big and strong as him, one realizes how easily things break the hard way. One learns to be careful with anything one cares about. That's as good as it is bad, for sometimes he overthinks things too much and ends up acting late or not acting at all. It's also true that puberty is a time for change to anyone, it's no surprise that someone who shared his daughter's last year knows her better than her own father.

-" _Slow down, girl, the food won't go anywhere!_ " -He says with a laugh, after his daughter chokes- " _So, how was the morning? If you don't work out properly, all this will go straight to your… bottom._ "

-" _Pops! Manners!_ " -He laughs again, seeing his tomboy blushing and spying her friend's reaction sideways- " _We worked out dang fine, and we'll do a bit more after I mess around with Jolly._ "

-" _How's she coming around?_ "

-" _She'll be ready to hit the road in a couple of days_ " -She seems to struggle with something before continuing, and Tai feels a lump forming in his throat, here it comes- " _Hmm… Dad? When Jolly get's ready we were thinking about… paying a visit to Weiss._ "

He sighs, no use trying to resist, he had seen this coming.

-" _I guess that's… Wait, Weiss?_ " -Wasn't that girl safe with her father?- " _Not your sister?_ "

-" _Ruby's with good friends, pops, she'll be fine for a while. But Weiss..._ " -The way she looks at the sky through the window before continuing feels… Dust, she really has matured, hasn't she?- " _Weiss is all alone in a place she hates. I'm sure she could use some friendly faces._ "

-" _Traveling to the Schnee Company headquarters by land is nothing to sneeze at_ " -The girls deadpan at his bad joke, but he masterfully ignores it- " _Even for two huntress in training._ "

-" _One, pops._ " -She says with a defeated smile, raising her stump- " _I'm stuck in the role of damsel in distress._ "

Would he mess up things if he hugs her daughter now? As if reading her thoughts, the faunus girl nods quietly. Well, if the girl who "knows his daugher better than his own father" gives the thumbs-up… He walks the few steps separating them and burrows her golden locks in a bear hugh. She protests with some inarticulate sounds, but doesn't resist.

The girl… - _no, her name's Blake_ \- smiles softly. There's something warm and caring in that smile, and Tai cannot help but feeling at ease. He has done right, acted like a good parent would.

* * *

- _"Come on, you father needed that_ " -Blake had said when she apologized for his behavior after lunch- " _And I have seen you carrying that water bucket, remember? You're no damsel in distress._ "

As she remembers this, Yang can't suppress a smile. How lucky can a girl get with her friends? Then her wrench gets stuck and she curses. She tries to pull and twist, softly first, but progressively stronger as she loses her temper. In the end, she tries to bite it off, and finally holds the urge to kick it before giving up.

Jolly will have to sleep with the wrench there, she's tired and it's late anyway. Standing up, she goes a few steps back to gaze at her work. The powerful bike in front of her will never replace Bumblebee, but is a damn fine machine. Unfortunately, she doesn't have materials or means to make a decent body, so this steed kind of looks like "the skeleton" of a bike. But it's fine, that's why she named her "Jolly Roger".

Aside from providing transportation, Jolly has been a nice excuse to spend time alone. Working on the engine she can let her mind wander, without worrying about causing concern to anyone. She _is_ feeling better. Way better, in fact, but she still needs some time to sink in her dark thoughts. As much as she would want to, she cannot simply make them go away.

It's also a good way to let Blake release tension. The girl leans towards the independent side, and no doubt needs time to herself, as much as she wants to stay by her side.

* * *

What does a young cat faunus girl do in her free time? Feel the gentle evening breeze caressing her skin… and get up to close the window. It's winter, after all, and the room is nice, cozy and quiet. The extensive fairytale collection on the bookshelf is a harder temptation to resist. For the seventh time she looks it's way with longing eyes. But she can't, she's busy.

With a sigh, she goes back to what _some_ people would call a 'real book'. As abundant as good stories are in this house, weapon engineering guides as at least as numerous. This isn't Ruby's home for nothing. There's also combat manuals and a lot of other hunter-related material. They are interesting, on it's own way, and she has learnt a lot.

 _As you should_ she remembers herself _You won't kill Adam with physical training alone._

She's had many thoughts along those lines lately, but that one is specially grim. Not so long ago, during her stay in Beacon, she had naively assumed her emotional wounds were already closed. The events after the tournament proved otherwise. The thought of something she once thought would last forever, of someone she once thought would be her soulmate, turning into something so ugly, scares her.

The memory of what he did to Yang, resurfaces and she trembles with anger, but.. _Do I really want to kill him?_ Then she remembers his promise to kill 'everyone she holds dear' _Oh, Dust, I really want to, don't I?_

 _Do I have the right to feel this way?_ Adam deserves punishment, that's for sure, but… _Am I acting out of fear? Fear of him coming to finish the job, fear of him hunting down my friends without me being able to do anything?_

She looks up from the book after noticing she's been reading the same line forever. This is a discussion she's had with herself more times that she cares to count. She won't find the answer today either. The clock marks five o'clock, it's time to go find her partner.

* * *

 **Aaaand that's the end!**

 **To be completely honest, The last scene was originally quite different. But after writing it up I realized it didn't really work out, so I decided to let Blake reflect upon Adam. In case anyone wonders, I hate the guy. Hated him even before he sliced the business arm of my favorite character. The deepest circle of hell is reserved for jerks like him. Of course, I'm professional enough to not let that affect my story… No, not really. But I'll try my best.**

 **On another note, can you believe I had to look up how japanese hot tubs worked to write this? When it came to the details of the description, I noticed I didn't really knew enough to not mess up… I still don't know as much as I would've liked, but know a fair deal more. Who said you don't learn writing fantasy? I know for example that you usually need to prepare them beforehand and had to find a way to not rewrite the whole scene, sending one of my favourite interactions through the window.**

 **Now for some blatant self-advertising. I'm writing my own original novel at Project Rhea, if you guys are interested in taking a look, you can find the links in my profile. Reading is free, and will always be!**

 **Jeez, look at me, ranting around instead of letting you drop reviews and follows on me like crazy. I better say goodbye so you guys can get to it!**

 **Bidding farewell:**

 **-Planeshunter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Konnichiwa konnichiwa, Planeshunter here! This is somewhat shorter than intended, but... life is about to become way busier, so this might be my last update in a while, and I didn't want to disappear without a last chapter. More info in the afterwords.**

* * *

More than a sound, is the sudden absence of it what breaks Blake's stupor. Jolly's engine has stopped. Realizing they have stopped in front of an inn-looking building, she releases her grip and stretches.

To be honest, she had been surprised when her partner suddenly decided to leave the sidecar at home. " _Too much weight_ " she had said. Not that she can complain. Jolly's seat is big and comfortable enough, and holding to her companion's back was far warmer than a lonely, unprotected seat. If only she had agreed to get her exuberant hair under a helmet, it would've been paradise.

-" _First stop!_ "- The blonde announces cheerfully- " _Warm meals, reasonably bedbug-free and acceptably clean showers! A luxury for the battle-hardened hunter! The Wolf and the Lamb!_ "

The building has a sign that actually reads all that, under a logo of what seemed like a liberally drawn beowolf and a white furry humanoid wearing a mask, eerily similar and yet different from any Grimm she knew. Judging for the way Yang behaves, it seems like she knows the place.

-" _So?_ " -Blake asks, knowing full well that she's playing into her partner's little plot, whatever it is- " _What's the story behind that sign?_ "

The questioned just smiles and kicks the door open before entering with cheerful steps.

-" _Yo, old man!_ " -Her greeting is loud enough for anyone to hear from outside- " _Did you miss your favorite patron?_ "

By the time Blake entered, she was already facing the bartender with a big grin in her face while he apparently tried to ignore her. The faunus girl lets a smile escape her lips. There was something in the man that makes her think back to her days with the White Fang (The good times, before everything went to hell) and about the old, battle-hardened veterans who always seemed in a foul mood, but actually were too happy to dot on the young ones at the first chance. This man was most likely a retired soldier of some kind.

As soon as she closes the door, the man's stare locks on her. There's no doubt now. She has seen that sharp, inquisitive gaze before.

-" _Ah, Blake, come, lemme make the introductions! Old man, this is my partner, Blake. She's a bit of a bookworm, but I wouldn't trust my back to anyone else. Blake, this old man is… old man, the owner of the damn best inn in all Patch._ "

-" _A pleasure._ "

With the man's gaze still on her, Blake forces the words out of her throat, but doesn't dare to offer her hand. The veteran is still measuring her.

-" _Dis one you lent a hand?_ "

The question leaves an uncomfortable silence floating around, Blake tenses. That was a painfully obvious insinuation. What did it imply? Was simple small talk? Did he just mock her partner? _If he dared to disrespect Yang…_ She's about to reach for her weapon when the blonde takes her left to the back of her head and let's out a heartfelt laugh.

-" _As expected, count on the old man to say things as they are! Damn, old man, you're sharp!_ " - _As if she were deceiving anyone with that long-sleeved leather jacket…_ \- " _Yup, I had some words with her ex, the guy doesn't know when to give up!_ "

Then she eyes the faunus and puts a generous amount of lien on the bar with an exaggerated move.

-" _But enough 'bout me! The girl asked about the sign, why don't ya get something warm for us and tell her the tale? S'not like you have any more clients today…_ "

Blake recognises something in the scoff of the old man. The fake annoyance of an veteran about to tell his favourite story.

* * *

 _It was a night dark like a beowolf's maw, and I have seen some dark nights in my time, but no one as creepy as this one. We were supposedly entering a new era, all optimism and possibilities, as the Great War had finally ended. But for us, the guys of the breach, those were still bad times. The locals had been at odds with us for longer than our seniors cared to keep track of. Accusing us of insulting their traditions or soiling their women, there was always a good excuse for them to find trouble. It wasn't usually too bad, mind you, but mix two groups of testosterone-filled men with the tensions of a war and conflicts of authority? You can bet it got ugly for time to time, and we usually didn't bother playing nice with each other._

 _Case is, that night one of them came running you our gates. Oh, boy! We almost shot him down, thinking it was an attack. He was really scared of something and, when we stopped him, could only blabber about being marked and asking us to save him._

" _Damn locals!" We thought "They hate us for trampling over their stupid sacred superstitions and shit, but as soon as the superstition becomes trouble, they come crying to us."_

 _We were all up to close the gates with him outside, but our commander had recently scolded us all, saying that the end of the war meant we had to play nice, so we let him in, teasing him juuust a little bit. I remember feeling a bit disappointed when he didn't retort._

 _Case is, we laughed at the whole thing and went back to guard the gates. Everything seemed perfectly normal for a while. There was some specially nerve-wracking howls in the dark, but that was about everything, until the screams started._

 _We rushed inside to watch a scenery of hell. The most savage of Grimm I have ever seen was rampaging through our camp, rippin throats and biting people down. It kinda looked like a giant wolf, but a beowolf would look like a harmless puppy around this fierce beast. And it was hella hard to see. While his head and white mask were clearly visible, some sort of black mist obscured the rest of it's body, making it seem like it melted with the night._

 _That's when my partner, showing more guts than I'll ever have, took aim and got ready to shoot. I was too scared by that… monster to act, and simply stared the scene. That's why I could see the other figure._

 _Tall, white humanoid covered in white wool, stepping graciously towards us. She… and you can be sure that thing was a 'she', kinda looked like a grimm, with a black mask over her white fur. Like those odd snakes you guys have in Vale. Her stylized body had an inhuman elegance that was breathtaking. And she… wielded a bow._

 _I didn't had time to warn my partner before an arrow claimed his life. And I… Kids, I have seen scary shit later in my life, but nothing comes even close to how this two things culled everything that opposed them. Curious enough, me and another boy, who had fainted, were completely ignored, while our battle-hardened seniors died trying to stand up to them._

 _Afterwards, no one believed my story. Since the other survivor were unconscious, I was the only one there capable of telling what I saw. I'm sure the higher-up would've been willing to accept a new kind of Grimm, even if their carnage was too wide for just a couple of them. They'll probably have frowned upon my tale about one of them using a weapon, but you never know with the Grimm. Problem was when I told them about what happened last. Because, believe me or not, those monsters_ _ **talked!**_

 _-"They know we'll come."_

 _Said a deep and ferocious voice I can only hope came from the black one._

 _-"Yet they are never prepared."_

 _Answered another voice, melodious and calm._

 _That's when they accused me of… ugly things, and decided to ignore my testimony._

-" _Come on, old man_ " -Yang pokes as he feigns to stop talking- " _Tell her about the tale_ "

-" _What tale?_ "

 _Well, I couldn't just let it go like that, so I went to find the locals. They were bound to know something about that thing, since I was sure it was that one of them who attracted it. And sure they knew. Everybody I asked, avoided me like the pest as soon as news of my close-call spred. Only an old woman talked to me, and told me a tale about a lamb and a wolf, who pass the idle nights observing the stars._

 _-"Lamb, tell me a story."_

 _Would the wolf say._

 _-"There was once a pale man with dark hair who was very lonely."_

 _Would the Lamb start, only to be interrupted again and again by the curious Wolf._

 _-"Why was it lonely?"_

 _-"All things must meet this man, so they shunned him."_

 _-"Did he chase them all?"_

 _-"He took an axe and split himself in two right down the middle."_

 _-"So he would always have a friend?"_

 _-"So he would always have a friend."_

 _That's all the old woman told me, and that's all I know. But I could never forget that story. So when I opened my Inn, it seemed like a fitting name_

-" _Again with that story, gramps?_ " -As soon as he ends the tale, a disrespectful male voice interrupts him- " _You will bore your… Wha!? Team RWBY?_ "

Yang and Blake turn around to face a big young man with surprise painted all over his face. Coldness seemed to quickly fill the room as they recognised him.

-" _Cardin._ "

* * *

 **There we go! Someone could accuse me of crossovering, but I promise that's not the intention. Hopefully anyone who knows the true nature of the lamb and the wolf will admit they fit surprisingly well in Remnant. They aren't intended to play any role anyways, just an odd story that the old man likes to tell. If this were to become a major story somehow, that statement could be revised tho, but as things stand now...**

 **Heck, I plan on finishing this story in another 4-6 chapters or so. It's kind of a race against Roster Teeth official version.**

 **Well, as I mentioned in the foreword, I'm about to get into some busyness... A planned week holidays suddenly overlaps with a work offer in another country, so... yeah, busy. Hopefully I'll continue posting soon. Usually travels are a good source of inspiration.**

 **With that, bids farewell:**

 **-Planeshunter**

 **PD: I'm sure my spelling is not up to my usual standards (not that it means much, heh), I'm really, really sorry. Usually I do a last revision before posting, but my train departs in less than an hour and I still have to get there! EDIT: dear me, thank got I found a while to revise it after all. I didn't expect my spelling to be THAT horrible. It should now be down to it's regular horribleness. My apologies.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Konnichiwa, konnichiwa! Planeshunter desu! How's everything been? Today I bring you what's probably the shortest chapter I ever wrote. Sorry, sorry, It actually should've been the second half of what I posted last time, but I decided to rush that one for… reasons.**

 **That said, Everything will be OK (What if?),** **始まります** **!**

 **PuBa: Thanks! I try my best to please. If you are fine with some pointers from humble ol' me, I'll be happy to oblige, just send me a PM.**

* * *

-" _Who would've guessed you were the old man's grandchild?_ " -Laughs Yang a while later, as the three old schoolmates sit on the same table- " _What have you been up to since… you know?_ "

-" _Well… Team CRDL split up_ " -He answers with a sigh- " _Dove and Sky went back home. The only reason Russel is still with me is cuz we grew up together here. Not that I can blame anyone, it's hard to be apart from the family now that intercontinental communications are down..._ "

The girls look at each other, who's this serious-looking guy and what's happened to the school bully?

-" _So... What about you girls?_ " -He asks after a long glup- " _Where are the little leader and the stuck-up Heiress?_ "

-" _We are… trying to group up_ " -Answers the blonde- " _Weiss is stuck with her father in Atlas, we are in our way to pick her up. Ruby went to Mistral with what remains of team JNPR… guess they are JNRR now._ "

Her bad joke goes unappreciated as the boy's gaze hardens.

-" _You girls are going all the way to Atlas? That's dangerous, even for two…Hunters._ " -He steals a glance towards Yang's arm before noticing Blake's expression and hurriedly continuing- " _Hey, I mean no offense! But things are really bad, if one pays heed to what travelers say. I'm genuinely worried._ "

-" _Yeah, no harm done_ " -Yang cuts her partner putting her hand on her shoulder before she can say something sharp. She's pretty sure Cardin means well, and Blake would think the same, if she wasn't busy being so overprotective- " _The worry is appreciated, but my partner is strong, we'll be fine till I can do something about this arm._ "

-" _You know her strength better than anyone..._ " -Cardin starts, trying to smother the mood, but then he reaches for his jug and gives another long glup before setting it aside with force and locking eyes with Blake- " _Actually… back in beacon there were rumors about you being a faunus in disguise._ "

Those words instantly freeze the atmosphere, and the brunette holds his gaze in silence. That looks bad, and suddenly Yang is not so sure about Cardin's intentions. But before she can decide in how to act, the guy continues.

-" _Not that it's my problem, mind you._ " -The mood relaxes again- " _But some people out there blame the White Fang for everything that happened in Vale, and they are not the kind to stop and check further than some horns or an extra pair of ears. If I had some of those, I would be extra careful about hiding that short of things while traveling._ "

* * *

-" _Well, that encounter deserves some… reflection, don't you think?_ " -Now up in the room they rented for the night, Yang stretches, commenting their last conversation- " _Who would've thought that Cardin, of all people, would mature so much? I'll have a hard time remembering the school bully from just half a year ago._ "

-" _Conflict splits people, but hardship often pulls them together too_ " -Blake's words are deep, but her tone is light, and there's a faint smile in her lips. She's quoting a book for sure- " _You heard him. All those stupid reasons he felt he had to be a jerk amounted to nothing in front of real trouble._ "

-" _'Did you see how awesome Velvet looked, kicking all those paladins back then'_ " -Yang poorly impersonates the big guy- " _'Harmless girl my ass! I'll have to ask her out next time we meet!' Even if it was just a joke, the guy has gone a long way!_ "

-" _A shame that their team split_ " -Follows blake in a soft tone, while getting ready to go bed- " _But I can understand it. It's thought, not knowing how your friends and family are…_ "

 _Uh, oh…_ Yang thinks. The cat girl has been slowing down as she spoke, and now she's practically still. _I have to do something before she gets all sad and blue_. So, failing to think of something intelligent to say, she tackles her half-dressed partner, and both fall on the bed in a tangle of arms, legs and clothes. The brunette lets out a small cry of surprise and tries to struggle her way out of the situation.

But she was caught unaware, and Yang was expecting her reaction. In an instant, the blonde comes on top, holding her prey between her knees and pooping her nose with her best 'Nora wins' smile.

-" _That won't do! That won't do at all!_ " -She reproaches- " _I won't have you getting all emo on me now. Come on, we are in a journey to reunite with our friends after all!_ "

The reward for her good deed is seeing how a surprised expression melts into a warm smile. And then she gets swiftly counterattacked out of her mounting position.

-" _It's true, but if you try to surprise me like that again, there will be…_ " -There's a predatory glint in her amber eyes as she utters her threat- " _Consequences!_ "

She is not alone, she has not given up. She has the best partner anyone could hope for, and she is going to get her team back together. That doesn't make everything magically right, but things are looking better. Definitively, everything will be OK.

* * *

 **And that's it! As I said in the foreword, this should be part of last chapter, and not one by itself. But as I mentioned last time, I'm moving to another country soon and things look a bit… terrifying. Dear me, it's not my first time doing this, but as much as I enjoy a change of scenery, I'll never get used to the nervousness of the first days.**

 **Anyway, I have no idea how this will affect my writing. I could disappear for a while (god forbids), I could become more prolific (actually, that could be bad too, as I'm supposed to be working and studying, If I write anymore, I'll be stealing time from those other things...), or it could all remain more or less the same. Only time will tell.**

 **There, I'd say a fair warning is fair.**

 **Now, while I could extend further talking about any random thing that happens to cross my mind (hmmm… peanuts...) I think I won't. With this, I bid farewell until next ime!**

 **-Planeshunter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Konnichiwa konnichiwa, Planeshunter here! How's everyone doing? I'm enjoying a well deserved day off-work, thanks for asking!**

 **Now, before I confuse myself with the stuff I usually say cuz I feel awkward about starting the chapter just like that... jeez! look at me, doing it again!  
Everything will be OK (What if?), **始まります!

* * *

The sound of Jolly's engine, so familiar after the long journey, quiets down. Blake lazily opens her eyes. Getting sleepy behind her partner's back is becoming a bad habit. She twitches her ears, the cold twilight wind tickling a bit, but stil nice enough. As she looks upwards, she can't help but feel like a bug before the impressive visage of Atlas' Schnee CCT. This one is nothing like the purely functional building in Vale, but an architecture masterpiece designed to glorify their builders. Even while inoperative, it still serves a capital for the Schenee Dust Company empire.

-" _Here we are, Blackey, the Ice Queen is waiting for us._ "

She simply nods. The journey here has not been easy, and they have faced and triumphed over (or at least ran away fast enough from) Grimm, hunger, bandits, mistrust, racism… That one being specially…

-" _Hmm… I don't want to get boring, specially when I was the one who talked you into int, but…_ " -Blake lets her partner keep talking, already knowing what she's going to say- " _Are you sure you don't want to use your ribbon? You know what they say about the daddy Schnee..._ "

She softly shakes her head, allowing herself a smile.

-" _I won't hide who I am anymore, that's what I promised you. Let's badass our way into this thing._ "

Her eyes veil as she sinks in the reverie of recollection, knowing her partner is doing the same. Some memories are just that meaningful.

* * *

It was a day like any other in their seemingly endless journey. There was no real reason for her to snap precisely then. Maybe she didn't had enough sleep that night. Maybe the long days of driving through the continent were finally getting to her. Maybe Yang made one dumb thing too many. But most likely it was all of it together.

-" _Oh, for the sake of…_ " -Seeing how her partner had stuffed the empty right sleeve of her leather jacket, her voice came out stronger and harsher than intended- " _Can you please stop trying to hide like that? You're only making a fool out of yourself!_ "

-" _That's easy fer ya to say! Ya don't look like half a woman!_ "

The agitation is painfully obvious in her voice, and she doesn't face her. It all sounds like excuses to the faunus girl.

-" _Now you're just being childish I have seen you practising those kicks_ " -She should've stopped there, but she is agitated too, and without really knowing why, she adds some shaprness to the intended appeasing- " _You're at least three-quarters of a woman._ "

-" _Yeah, ya know what?_ " -For a moment seems like she's going to talk back, but in the end the blonde just deflates- " _You are not helping._ "

 _Oh, not again_. In spite of the promising beginnings of the journey, a dark mood has invaded her partner quite often lately. Blake reprimands herself _She can laugh at herself, you can't. Not when she's like this. How come you haven't learnt yet?_ Usually she would lose herself in apologies that wouldn't really help, and then resign to wait until Yang's mood improved by itself. But the same feeling that made her snap a moment ago prevents her from it. She's not going to have another black evening, she's not going to stay awake, worried sick about what to do if morning doesn't raise her partner's spirit back up.

-" _You can take down a tree with a single blow_ " -She says instead, closing in to hug her from behind- " _I have seen you deliver whirlwind kicks like it's nothing, and your knee strike can take down an Ursa in a single hit._ "

Feeling her partner's chest swell a bit at her praises, she goes for the kill.

-" _And that beowolf that managed to piss you off the other day? That blazing chain kick looked **beautiful**!_ " -It was the honest truth, seeing her partner send the grimm upwards, only to jump behind him to connect a combo of kicks, her hair and talons blazing with rage… that visage really evocated the dragon in her name- " _You'll be crazy strong when you get that prosthetic, but you don't **need** it._ "

Yang turns around, blushing slightly, and she releases her hug.

-" _But still!_ " -She argues, but she's clearly in a better mood- " _People won't take me seriously if I look like a crippled girl! They'll will come looking for trouble when they hear I'm a huntress, and we'll never hear the end of it!_ "

-" _They won't take seriously a jester who stuffs her empty sleeve with rags_ " -Her counterargument is categoric. It's time to finish this discussion- " _But missing an arm and nailing it? That's **badass.**_ "

-" _I… I like the sound of that_ " -Of course she likes, Blake was very careful with her choice of words- " _As badass as a faunus showing her heritage without a care about who she ticks off with it?_ "

Choking with the surprise counterattack, she almost misses the grin of her partner. The cunning vixen! Did she plan this trap? No, Yang is crafty when she wants to, but she wouldn't lie about this. And she was the one who brought the matter of not hiding away after all.

Still, after all this time, taking of her ribbon…

-" _So… badassing it is?_ " -Hesitantly, she reaches for her head- " _It could be a nice thing to do… together._ "

Her self confidence apparently restored, the blonde simply keeps her unwavering smirk. Blake grabs her ribbon, but that very instant all her resolution fades away. All the hostility she has met in her life seems to pass before her eyes. Scorn and sneering first, as she foolishly strived to 'make a difference'. Fear and hate later on, when things began to go truly wrong.

Is her heart ready to face it again? Unsurprisingly, the answer doesn't come from her heart, but from the warmth of a hand in her shoulder. She answer's her partner's smirk with a weak smile of her own. What a mess they are, scarred in mind and body. But the strength they lack alone, they'll get relying on each other.

-" _Yeah!_ " -She undoes the ribbon with a single pull. There, it's done.- " _Let's badass it!_ "

* * *

 _Somewhere else, as our couple enters the Schnee headquarters..._

 _-"I already have a team."_

 _-"Be reasonable, Miss Schnee. Your father's still your legal guardian and he's decided you enroll you in Atlas."_

 _-"A convenient tool to deny someone of their own free will. Because, unfortunately for my father and you, I **do** have a will, and plan to act according to it."_

 _-"Even if that's what you really want, entertaining your father's wishes will be the fastest route to there. But think about it, finding a team willing not only to accept you, but to be led by you at this point of the school year was no easy task. WITR will surprise you if you give them a chance. "_

 _-"Of course, I could play the good girl and meld with this… 'wither' thing, I could be best friends and we would do great things together and we would finally meet with my old team. And then, no matter which way I were to choose, I would hurt someone dear. No thanks." -Weiss looks eyes with the... 'headmaster'- "I'll entertain my father by enrolling the Academy without making a fuss, but if you dare assign me to a team, there will be hell to pay."_

* * *

 **And this will be all for now. Damn, I keep getting short chapters… But I try to cut the story where it feels right to. And that's here. Also, I've had one heck of a week, with barely any time for myself (and with myself I mean writing) and a submission for RWBY's Reddit MonCon to get ready**

 **Anyway, I really liked the idea behind this chapter. That concept of the girls seeing themselves as broken, and yet drawing strength on each other to not only keep going but actually 'badassing' their way through life.**

 **I have to admit this one arguably deviates from canon, nothing has happened to make Blake feel 'broken', and I stand in very thin threads to make it believable. Oh, well… what can I say. No, seriously, I have no idea of what to say. Look behind you, a three-headed monkey!**

 ***whoops away***

 **-Planeshunter**


	6. Chapter 6

**Konnichiwa, Konnichiwa, Planeshunter desu!**

 **[omg omg omg, I really want to crack a joke, but can't think of anything to say...]**

 **Now, without further ado, Everything will be OK (What if…?)** **始まります** **!**

* * *

Jolly stops it's engine, and Yang let's out a small sigh. It's been a long travel, she's glad to finally arrive at Atlas Academy. On the other side, now the comforting embrace of her partner will be released. Indeed, as soon as she puts a foot in the ground, the pressure around her waist weakens, and the raven haired girl straightens her head.

-" _Here we are, girls!_ " -She says, hiding that small regret- " _Atlas Academy! Man, I can't believe it took us two months to find Weiss._ "

-" _And we would still be searching_ " -her partner adds- " _if not for Penny._ "

-" _It was my pleasure, friend Blake!_ "

As always, the bright voice of the artificial girl seems terribly out of place coming from the grim-looking frame of Jolly. But that's how things are for now. Patting the front of the bike with her left, Yang closes her eyes in silent gratitude. Penny has no proper body now, but her Aura comes from the vehicle, giving off that same inquiring and helpful feeling, so characteristic of hers.

Man, if it hasn't been a long, strange journey up till now! For all it's shortcomings, it also brought good things, but…

-" _If only 'daddy Schnee' wasn't a big ***, nothing of this would've happened._ "

-" _Maybe he would've been more helpful if you didn't throw his desk through the window?"_

The playful jab earns a half-hurt gaze.

-" _Hey! No one makes racist remarks on my partner but me!_ "

-" _We knew that could happen,_ " -her tone is severe, but the smile never leaves her lips- " _And I would've done something myself if he got truly offensive._ "

To say the truth, that remark about Blake only was the last straw. Being tongue-lashed by a penpusher old man who thinks his daughter will be better off around asslickers than between friends had been infuriating to say the least. But they have talked enough about that particular encounter.

-" _Whatever, Blakey_ " -She says instead of getting into the subject again- " _We would've never found Penny if not for that._ "

-" _And that's STUPENDOUS!_ " -Yang hides a smile. Penny's voice _really_ feels odd coming from Jolly. They'd need to find a proper body for her, before she gives in to the urge of tuning the bike to fit- " _I missed the whole thing, being inside a box and all, but I'm sure you were fabulous. Thanks again, friend Yang, friend Blake._ "

That makes her pinch her nose. How many times will she have to tell the girl to stop putting 'friend' before their names? It felt… weird. But now's not the time.

-" _Yeah, sure, that's what friends are for, right?_ " -Now they have to get into the building, and she doubts the guards would overlook a monsterbike going in- " _Look, we gotta go talk with this Gray dude they put in charge here. Can you watch Jolly while we are away?_ "

-" _Yes, yes I can!_ " -This time Yang catches herself smiling. Strange as it might be, there's something contagious in the cheerful behavior of the girl- " _Have a productive visit, friend Yang, friend Blake!_ "

With a last wave of hands, the partners leave Penny and Jolly and enter the building. It's hard to recognise in their bright expressions the same two huntresses that were about to give up, just a week ago.

[...]

-" _It has been almost two months, Blake! We have tried stalking the tower, infiltrating the Schnee mansion, fishing for rumors downtown, visiting their summer villa and any other hideout we could think of, for nothing! And while we are running in circles without doing anything, Rubes is facing dust knows what!_ " -She hadn't intended to yell. Why did she yell? The hurt expression of her partner is enough to make her regret her actions. But she needs to make her point. She continues in a softer tone- " _Silver eyed warrior or whatever, she's still my baby sister, you know? I still worry about her._ "

-" _You know it would take us weeks, if not longer, to reach Haven. And even then we don't know if we'll find your sister there, right?_ "

-" _I know, darnit,_ _ **I**_ _**know**_ _!_ " -She protests- " _And I don't want to leave Weiss alone either, but… you know..._ "

When Blake moves her hand, she closes her eyes, half-expecting a slap. And it would've been well deserved. But instead, she gets a pat in her shoulder.

-" _Alright then, let's make a deal_ " -Her tone is serious, but not scolding- " _We try that one last thing, and if it doesn't work, we switch to looking for Ruby and the others._ "

-" _You're not gonna give up until we try that, right?_ " -Blake has the decency of blushing slightly, but she doesn't look away- " _I still can't understand why the White Fang didn't change their codes after someone like you switched sides._ "

-" _You can't teach new tricks to an old dog?_ "

That earned her a deadpan stare.

-" _Is that… an attempt at misdirection?_ " -Yang asks after a moment- " _Because if it was a pun, is even worse than mine._ "

Now she blushes _a lot_ , and seems to suddenly find her feet extremely interesting. The blonde lets out a heartfelt laugh, all her worries suddenly gone.

-" _Seriously, Blakey…_ " -She continues, grinning widely- " _Alright, we'll assault that mystery cargo. But chances of it having_ _ **anything**_ _to do with Weiss are slim at best, and you know what they say about curiosity and the cat..._ "

Her groan is the only answer.

* * *

In the end, the mystery cargo turns out being what Yang had expected. As much as she tries to make it look otherwise, the White Fang _has_ changed their codes. She knows enough of how they work to get a basic idea about the content of messages, but that's all. That's why this info about a heavily protected vehicle making a night journey sounded so promising to her.

It was obvious the Schnee family was trying to hide the Heiress, and what better way of transporting a hidden person than this? But now, the hatches open before her, the small army of atlesian knights turned into small piles of scrap metal behind, it's time to face the truth. Metal containers. With dust or mechanical components inside, no doubt. Hiding or not, it was stupid to think Weiss would accept such low class transport.

Everytime, **everytime** she takes the initiative, she ends up with some kind of disaster in her hands. Leaving the White Fang had resulted in Adam swearing to destroy all she held dear and hurting Yang. Focusing in stopping them during her time at beacon had only resulted in undermining her own health and worrying her team. Staying in Vale to recover her partner's weapon had kept her away, sinking the blonde girl further into depression. And now, insisting in attacking this cargo, she's not only risked becoming a criminal if their identities end up revealed, but she has only accomplished to keep the two sisters apart longer.

-" _Well, Blakey, I won't say 'told you so', but I told you so_ " -Lost in her thoughts, the voice startles her. She closes her eyes to hold the tears, now Yang will lose it and yell at her, and she'll deserve it, but then they both will feel horrible and it'll all be her fault- " _But since we're here, why don't we check this present boxes?_ "

Blake opens her eyes again, confused.

-" _You're… not mad?_ "

-" _Huh? Why should I?_ "

-" _Well, I was wrong and I'm keeping you from looking for…_ " -She risks a gaze towards her partner. Not only doesn't she look angry, there's a big smile lighting up her face- " _I'm sorry!_ "

-" _Nothing to apologize for, girl!_ " -Turning to the containers, she dismisses the idea with a wave of her hand- " _I would've felt pretty shitty about abandoning Weiss without a last try!_ "

-" _Friend Yang?_ " -A voice comes from one of the containers. It's tone is distorted by the container, but there's no way they can mistake that mannerism… -" _Is that you?_ "

-" _Wha!... Penny?_ " -The blonde begins putting her ear in every container, all her carelessness gone- " _Are you alright? What are you doing here? Didn't Pyrrha kill you during the tournament?_ "

-" _Yes! I'm Penny, friend Yang, it's nice to meet you here!_ " -Recovering from the surprise, Blake points at the container the voice is coming from- " _I'm fine, but I can't move. The scientists of the Schnee Dust Company recovered me from the tournament grounds, I'm being transported to another lab. No, she didn't kill me!_ "

The matter-of-fact-ly way she answers all the questions in order is strangely amusing. Blake hasn't talked too much with the artificial girl, but it certainly sounds like her. Why would the Schnee Dust Company…? But that's a stupid question, isn't it?

She can't hold a sigh, realizing what completely functional artificial persons would mean to a company that had no qualms whatsoever in driving an entire race into slavery. Getting to know Weiss has softened her opinion on them, but she mustn't forget reality.

-" _Don't worry!_ " -Yang says, making her partner raise an eyebrow. No nicknames?- " _I'll get you out there in a second. There! How are..._ "

Her words get interrupted by what she finds inside the crate. And with good reason. After ripping the container open, they only find a strangely glowing orange and green orb. For a moment, both partners exchange glances, unsure about how to take this. Then the orb _talks_ , glowing with each pronounced syllable.

-" _Friend Yang! Friend Blake! It's really good to meet you again!_ "

That had happened barely three days before their arrival at Atlas Academy, and was followed by a really embarrassing moment when they learnt Penny's core could be attached to other machines, like the atlesian knights they had just turned into junk…

* * *

-" _So…_ " -The boy who was leading them to the Headmaster's office was a tall and cool guy of dark skin and long black hair, who ironically had introduced himself as 'Ivory'. He was pleasant enough, even if he kind of gave the same aura as Neptune- " _what do you know the Ice Queen from?_ "

-" _We are her teammates from Beacon._ "

Blake answers, cutting short Yang's joke about stolen nicknames. Well, she'll let it slip this time, she's a generous person after all.

-" _Oh?_ " -The boy slows down long enough to turn and address a wide smile their way.- " _Then you're the famous RWBY I have heard so much about?_ "

Those words make Yang smile, but before she can say anything, Blake cuts her again (Not that she wanted to brag or something, but still...)

-" _Are we… famous?_ "

Her tone is slightly worried. Well, she's the faunus teammate of the Schnee Heiress, ex-teammate now. Becoming well known could give weird ideas to creeps trying to get into daddy Schnee's good side. But this Ivory guy laughs, and there's something oddly shooting in that carefree sound.

-" _Nah, not really. But it's the only subject she opens up about_ " -A second laugh, a bit apologetic this time- " _It's hard to get to know a partner like that, you know?_ "

-" _I take you're his partner now?_ "

At the barely contained poison of her words, Blake shoots a worried look her way, but she couldn't help it. Friendly as the guys seems, if he pretends to be Ruby's replacement…This time the boy stops, turning around to face her. She throws her best glare his way, but he doesn't seem fazed in the least. To her own surprise, she's the one to look away after a brief duel stare. He's no Neptune after all, there's something… oddly pure in his eyes. It hurts to stare for too long.

-" _For now, at least_ " -His choice of words almost goes unnoticed, as Yang's still wondering what has just happened- " _I take you're here to bring her back?_ "

-" _Why would you think that?_ "

Thank goodness Blake's with her to play the cool girl.

-" _That Weiss is not happy here is a well-known secret_ " -He continues with a sigh- " _And if half of what she's said about you guys is true, you're not here in a courtesy visit. Not that I can blame her for it. I made into team WITR only because I put the average genius' grades to shame as a daily basis. Tsuchi and Ritz were picked for a single reason: They are less hunter material than corporate bootlikers. Since the Council made Ironwood resign and put that straw man Gray as Headmaster, this place is practically Schnee Dust Company junior division._ "

-" _That bad? How come the General gave up on you?_ "

-" _Well… don't take my word for it, but there's rumors_ " -The young man is uncomfortable. He's apparently not a big fan of gossips- " _Apparently he found himself in a position where he had to chose between the Academy and the Army. Most people here understand his reasons, even if we are a bit sore about it._ "

-" _Ghee… With everything that happened at Beacon, I would like to have an army at hand too, but…_ "

-" _Yeah, you could say that, but…_ " -There's an intelligent glint in the guy's eyes- " _In hindsight, it's a plan so brilliant it's almost scary. What would happen if you put a weak figure on charge of a highly militarized organisation composed mainly by hot-blooded young people? And, to top it off, they get taken over by an outside power with said figure's blessings?_ "

Yang takes a second to think about it, but Blake's answer is almost instantaneous.

-" _Revolution…_ "

-" _If he really planned for it, that might be the smartest move in his life. Actually, when we first heard news of Weiss coming, some guys were hoping she would take charge. 'If she's anything like her sister, maybe she can confront her father for us'_ " -He shrugs- " _Maybe it would've worked, maybe it wouldn't. Unfortunately Weiss worries seem to be elsewhere, so we'll never know._ "

That's Blakey for you. Guess you can't grow up inside a paramilitary organization without learning one or two things about politics. Yang gives her a congratulatory pat, realizing then the suspicion in her eyes.

-" _If you've said the truth_ " -She starts, the question mark practically hanging in the air- " _That's a very dangerous statement to make. Why..._ "

-" _Oh, here we are_ " -Ivory cuts her- " _The headmaster's office is just at the end of this corridor. Normal students aren't usually allowed in. And for the record, it was just a sign of good will, you'd've heard from Weiss anyway._ "

* * *

-" _Missing?_ " -Inside his office, the headmaster tries his best to sound discreet and outraged at the same time. The results aren't too impressive- " _What do you mean 'missing'?_ "

-" _Our last report says she was with her partner, sir_ " -Answers the voice at the other side of the phone- " _And then she simply disappeared._ "

There's a knock at the door, but this is not the time.

-" _Not now! Wait a second,_ " -He turns back to the phone- " _what's Ivory's report?"_

-" _That was Ivory's report, sir. But we know she couldn't pull that off alone, maybe her partner is helping her?_ "

Another knock, more urgent now.

-" _I said not now! No…_ " -The Headmaster's thoughts trail off for a second, trying to recall they student's file. Ivory Bandersnatch is, if memory serves him right, a genius among geniuses, and an exemplary student with a perfect record. Granted, his loyalty isn't as explicit as Tsuchi Mikado and Ritz Viera, the other members of WITR, but he's sure the boy wouldn't stain his perfect record with such an act- " _No, he's clear. Run a check on all the students known semblances and take into custody anyone who could've done something like that. Form tracking groups and block all exits too. We'll act as discreetly as possible, but if word gets out, she's been kidnapped. The last thing we need is the media getting wind the actual state of the Schnee's household internal affairs_."

There's no third knocking. Instead, the door blasts open with a burst of flames. The headmaster instinctively lets out a pathetic yelp and covers his head before the violent display. By the time he dares to look up, there's two figures standing in the frame. Two figures he recognises from the photos if his 'undesirables' list.

-" _Headmaster Gray?_ " -Says the blonde, her eyes shining dangerously red- " _We would like to interview one of your students, if you don't mind._ "

* * *

Penny Polendina considers herself an ambitious person. After all, she wants to become a normal girl, and that one heck of a wish, specially in her current circumstances. But just because one has a grand ambition, that doesn't mean one has to ignore the little pleasures along the way.

She's the first to admit that her current… state is far from ideal. Jolly Roger is a great vehicle, considering her friend Yang put it together from scrap pieces. But without any circuitry to connect them, there's no way for her to control it's features. Is this how a quadriplegic human would feel?

But even with that great shortcoming, she's content with the situation. Two friends care about her, and are always close. They even promised to find her a better body or take her to her father. She's never left her alone for too long either, and all that new things she's experiencing as a motorbike… the vibrations of the powerful engine, the tires against the asphalt of the road and the wind against her while they rode… they were all invigorating feelings. She can't help but be grateful about the interesting experience. Specially after spending months confined inside a metal box.

Immersed in such reflections, she almost misses the white-clad girl, furtively leaving Academy grounds.

-" _Friend Weiss?_ " -She calls- " _Is that you?_ "

* * *

 **Aaaand that's it. For a chapter I didn't give a penny for (pun intended) it ended up being decently long. You guys can thank Ivory. If this was a deep story intended to last long, he'll be the mysterious OC that would keep you wondering whose side he truly is in, but that's unfortunately not the case. He ended up growing a bit on me, and that's noteworthy, I don't really dig into male characters.**

 **Also, anyone knows a good Weiss/Penny romance fic? How's the pairing named? Is that even a thing? You guys wouldn't believe how much I'd like to read about that after writing this chapter.**

 **And lastly, but probably the most important. I'm terminating this series. Most likely with the next chapter. I could blame it to my recent lack of time (I think I already mentioned that last month I got a real job for the first time in years. Man, I'd forgotten how time-consuming that can be) but that's not all.**

 **Since the start, I wrote the first chapter as a standalone story. And while I've done my best to keep the quality up with the follow up, my heart is not really here, and my brain can only do so much by itself. I'm sorry to all the people enjoying the series, I'll try to end with a bang (and without killing anyone)!**

 **Until next time:**

 **-Planeshunter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Konnichiwa, konnichiwa! Planeshunter desu!**

 **How's everyone doing? I've felt a bit of a block last week, but nothing too serious.**

 **Getting to the point, as promised, here comes the last chapter!**

 **Everything will be ok (What if…?):** **始まります** **!**

* * *

Exhausted, Ruby tries to stand up. They have gotten away from the Nightmare, but the battle is not over yet, she needs to help out Jaune and the others. Still, she only manages to move her head sideways, and even that effort is enough to make her neck muscles cry in pain.

She feels herself… disconnected. As if her brain is wrapped in cotton. She frowns a bit, watching Nora getting blown away with only a slight worry, almost simple curiosity, forming in her mind. That's not right, she should feel… more. More worried, more frantic. Just she doesn't.

That's not good. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a small and frantic Ruby goes on about blood loss and staying awake, but she's soon muffled by the growing cotton wrapping...

 _Yang bleeds and burns while kicking uniformed men around, and is hard to know where the yellow turns into red and vice versa. She's angry, so very, very angry. She came to this place to find a friend, instead she found indifference and rejection and, when she pushed hard enough, hostility._

 _But she laughed at all that, in that unburdened way she always used to before the battle of Beacon. It was when Blake went down that she lost it._

 _Now there's a rat-like and pathetic man trying to cover behind a desk while her burning fury sends goon after goon flying in all directions._

Ruby's eyes get into the present again. A dream, a beautiful dream where her big sis was herself again. But now's not the time, she needs to focus on the present, to keep herself awake. Three griffin have surrounded Nora's unconscious body, but before they can do anything, Ren appears from nowhere.

It's hard to tell how long he'll be able to hold, he's never had too much stamina to begin with, and they are tired after the long fight.

With that nagging feeling that tells her she should be worrying more, Ruby watches as the dark-haired boy actually manages to take down the three beasts and drag her partner to safety before the Grimm can swarm them. He compensates his lack of stamina with quick and precise strikes.

Ruby's conscience drifts off again...

 _Blake slowly stands up, trying to make out why she has such a horrible headache. Her hair is sticky too. As she rises a hand towards it, the smell of blood, her own blood, fills her nostrils. Her sense of danger, sharpened since her youngest days, clears her mind. She was… shot._

 _She quickly remembers how the academy's security had entered the headmaster's office and shot at them without asking questions. Then everything went black…_

Ruby wakes up again, a half smile in her lips. It's good to know Blake's alright, even if it's all a dream. Reality, on the other hand…

Two beowolves approach her, carefully sniffing as they advance with great care. This ones are no younglings. They know the smell of a silver eyed warrior, and are wary of them. This once, their wariness will play against them. WIthout strength to even stand up, Ruby would be defenceless against a simple rush, but they carefully make their way to her, checking every step. She painfully and slowly reaches for Crescent Rose and carefully sets it in it's sniper form.

As wary as they are, once she shoots they'll surely react, so she only has one try. She needs to wait until they line up perfectly for this…

 _A cold voice, filled with authority, makes everyone in the room stop what they're doing and search for it's source. There she is, imposing, powerful, beautiful, white, Schnee. It doesn't seem like this months have been kind on her. Her appearance is spotless, but her eyes are hard, and her expression severe. Even Yang's fire dies out_

 _-"Very well, you are all stopping right now. RIght now!" -She repeats louder, to stop the blonde's reply- "My teammates will have tea with me, and everyone else will go back to their duties, is that clear?"_

 _The way everyone just nods coily would make anyone smile in amusement. That includes the very Weiss. As her lips curl up, the illusion of severity fades. She might've become better at this authority game her father enjoys so much, but she's herself, not some mindless spare. If there's something funny going on in front of her, she'll smile and to hell with everything else._

When she opens her eyes again, Crescent Rose is still on the ready, but the beowolves are nowhere to be found. How long was she off?

 _They take a bullhead to Penny's home, now that they have the chance, they need to get as ready as possible._

Jaune steps in front of her, showing his back. He's grabbing his shield arm, and something red drips to the ground.

 _As they travel, Yang grows more and more restless. They shouldn't waste time. The feeling of urge has been growing inside her, and she's now jumpy and irritable._

Seems like the boy has been protecting her. She wants to thank him, but she's too weak to speak now. With Crescent Rose still on the ready, she feels her eyes closing. The dream is taking over.

 _Yang finally explodes, hitting the hull of the bullhead with her fist and standing up from her seat._

 _-"We don't have time for this, we need to go find Rubes!"_

 _-"Yang, we need to be ready!" -Weiss tries to calm her down- "What about your arm?"_

 _-"To hell with my arm! I'll kick any grimm who stands on my way!"_

 _-"But… " -Weiss bits her lower lip- "What about Penny?_

 _There Yang stops for a moment. But there's something in her eyes, in the way she's closing her fists, that hints at an answer she'll regret later on._

 _-"To…!"_

 _Luckily, Blake's hand in her shoulder stops her for saying anything rash._

 _-"Now, Yang. Think about what you're going to say."_

 _She turns to face her partner and give her a piece of her mind. But for once the amber eyes locked on her hold no gentleness. This shakes her more than she's willing to admit, so she looks away, biting her lip until it bleeds instead._

 _-"You don't understand."_

 _-"Don't I? You have been getting more and more stressed out about something you try to deal with yourself, not saying a word to us! I'm worried, Weiss is worried, Penny is worried. Who the heck taught me to take proper rests and don't burden others with my recklessness?!"_

 _Hearing Blake swearing would usually be enough to make her snicker. Today, she only groans, sitting again._

 _-"I got this… feeling, you know? That Rubes needs me, that she needs us. I can't explain, but I need to find her!"_

 _Yang expects incredulity, maybe a pitiful look after those words. That''s why she hadn't said anything before. That's why she's regretting talking as soon as she finishes. But instead, she finds both her teammates in deep reflection. Them taking her words seriously is surprising enough to shut her up until they finally speak._

 _-"Well…" -Finally, Weiss breaks the silence- "I don't know what you think, Blake, but if it's something Ruby can't do..."_

 _-"Yeah" -She answers with a nod- "No matter how you look at it, if we want to make a difference we'll need to be in perfect condition. She's a silver eyed warrior after all."_

 _-"And let's not forget she has Nora and Ren with her."_

 _-"And Jaune too."_

 _Penny's add is met with Weiss risen brow_

 _-"Yeah… him too."_

Ruby opens her eyes again. How long has she been unconscious now? With a faint growl, she tries to move her head. Crescent Rose is no longer in front of her, and Nora lies beside her. They must've switched locations. Are they safe?

No… she can hear gunshots close by. She could recognise StormFlower's sound anywhere. At least Ren is still fighting.

 _-"Are we ready?" -Yang's voice is full of impatience, she's waited long enough- "Can we finally go find Rubes?"_

 _-"Come on Yang!" -Weiss lashes, rightfully this time, to be honest- "Penny just got her new body!"_

 _-"And I just got my new arm, your point?" -But it lacks the black sarcasm of the last days. The test on her prosthetic are finally over and they are ready to depart. Deep down, she's actually in a good mood- "How are you feeling, Penny?"_

 _She has even thought up a great nickname for the robot girl. A shame it's M rated…_

 _-"I am combat ready!"_

 _The voice of the girl is full of cheerfulness. But now they know she can get angry too. The shouting match she had the night before with her father was memorable. And probably the only reason she's allowed to accompany them. Anyway, Yang sees the girl under a new light now._

 _-"See, Ice Queen? We are both combat ready!"_

 _The Heiress turns to give Blake a look of incredulity. But the cat faunus simply rolls her eyes and turns towards the exit._

 _-"Whatever."_

This time, Ruby doesn't want to open her eyes. She can feel heat both sides, that means at least two teammates lie unconscious around her. What now? She's still too weak to fight. Then there's a screech. A horrifying screech no living creature should be able to make. It's _it_. She opens her eyes, fighting to dispel the fog dulling her vision. She sees something white and red… Jaune and Pyrrha?

No… Only Jaune, again showing her his back as he faces no less than five grimm of different kinds. He's bleeding everywhere. How is he even holding his ground?

Then the threes in front of them get mowed down, and the horrible monster, the Nightmare appears. It's mere sight sends a shiver down her aching back. Still, she wants to stand up and fight. If only she wasn't so, so tired… She opens her mouth. Intending to at least wish the boy good luck before...

Too soon, her eyes close again. The dreams embraces her. The sweet, sweet dream where her true team is looking for her. It would be nice to see them coming to the rescue, even if it's not real...

 _-"We have been fighting the grimm for hours, still no clue of Ruby or her team" -Weiss complains in a second of respite- "I swear, if we have gone into a Dragon's Maw for nothing..."_

 _But Yand doesn't react, she just uses the momentary peace to push forward, grim determination in her face._

 _-"You know," -Continues the Heiress, to no one in particular- "It feels weird to see her so serious..."_

 _-"You missed her when she was an emotional wreck, some months ago…"_

 _-"There!" -Yang points behind the next hill, for a reason completely unrelated with the blush that's appearing in her face- "What's that?"_

 _-"Are you changing the subject, Yangie?" -Taunts the faunus- "I don't see… What's that?"_

 _A column of white light surges behind the hill, interrupting her. And they all rush forward, ignoring the new wave of grimm that's appearing between the trees around them. Soon they reach the top of the hill. Before them, an armor of white light fights off countless monsters. The sight is shocking enough to stop them in their tracks._

 _The armor seems impregnable to any damage, and with each of it's powerful blows, they grimm get blown away like ants. But things are not as they seem. Soon, they notice there's someone inside the armor. Someone that gets wounded every time the armor is hit._

 _-"Jaune!"_

The call makes Ruby open her eyes again. She doesn't want to, in her dream, her team was coming! She resists waking up but, as it happens when you try to grab hold of any dream, the effort only clears her mind faster. She groans in protest, all her body in pain, but she finally focuses her gaze.

There's an enormous knight in shining armor fighting off the Nightmare. It sheds pure white light everywhere, holding the bulk of the grimm back. She squints, all her aches forgotten by the breathtaking sight, and tries to see past the bright light. Her vision clears, the mists of dream dissipating.

There's four, smaller lights orbiting around the knight, white, yellow, green and black, they are the ones keeping the grimm at bay. And there's something… no, someone inside the light.

 _Jaune!_

With recognition, comes realisation, and the last strips of dream vanish. Seeing his sorry state, the first thing crossing her mind is fear. Will he sacrifice himself to protect them? But no. Like her, Jaune knows of the pain forced into those left behind. He won't allow himself to die.

Also, the four lights are people, four persons she didn't dare hope she would see again. Weiss, Blake, Yang and… could that really be Penny? They all seem alive and well. She wants to stand up and run up to them, to hug them until they beg for mercy and to tell them how much they were missed.

But her body is too weak, and her eyelids grow heavy again. She softly sinks into the darkness. Neither fighting the drowsiness nor trying to hide into the dream. Team RWBY will be together again. She can take a small rest, right?

For the first time in months, she sleeps in peace. Funny, how a bloodied battlefield can feel warmer than any campfire. But somehow, she knows there's nothing to fear now. **Everything will be OK**

* * *

FIN

* * *

 **And here it ends, ladies and gentlemen! Did it really end with a bang? To be honest, I'm not sure if I should consider this chapter a success or a failure. It's different for sure, but that's I'm willing to comment on it. I'll leave the decision up to you.**

 **Don't bother looking for that 'Nightmare' thing able to give the chills even to Ruby, I completely made it up. Stopping to describe it would've broken the rhythm of the narrative, so I didn't, but if you're curious, it's a giant worm-snake with an armored head and insect-like mandibles, long cockroach-like wings sprouting from it's neck and four front legs ended in mantis scythes.**

 **Dear me, in my MAPL chapter from last week I mentioned how I was getting used to being busy, just… that wasn't busy, this week has been. And tomorrow I'll work again… I just want to burrow a hole and hide on it to cry.**

 **A-NY-WAY! I'm not about to stop writing, and all this sh*t life is throwing my way is only making me more resolved. That's how us stubborn people work. Even if I have to hide in the toilet halfway my shifts to write some lines, the updates will continue!**

 **-Planeshunter.**


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